How Will Home Depot Balance Debt, Capex and Shareholder Payouts?

Core Insights - Home Depot is focusing on balancing investments with shareholder returns and debt obligations, investing approximately $915 million in Q2 while distributing around $2.3 billion in dividends [1][8] - The company generated operating cash flow of about $8,968 million in the first half of fiscal 2025, which supported capital expenditures, dividends, and debt reduction [2][8] - Home Depot's long-term debt decreased to approximately $45,917 million, with no share repurchases planned for fiscal 2025 as the company prioritizes disciplined capital expenditures and debt reduction [3][4][8] Financial Performance - In the first half of fiscal 2025, Home Depot covered $1,723 million in capital expenditures and $4,574 million in cash dividends, with the remainder used for debt reduction of roughly $1,515 million [2][8] - Interest expenses for the second quarter were reported at $575 million, with full-year net interest expenses expected to reach $2.2 billion [3] Capital Expenditures and Shareholder Returns - Capital spending for fiscal 2025 is projected to be around 2.5% of total sales, focusing on expanding distribution networks and digital capabilities [1] - Share repurchase activity is currently on hold, with management indicating no plans to resume buybacks in fiscal 2025 [4] Market Position and Valuation - Home Depot shares have increased by 11.5% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 8% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 25.70, which is higher than the industry average of 23.00 [9] Sales and Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Home Depot's current financial-year sales suggests a year-over-year growth of 2.9%, while earnings per share are expected to decline by 1.4% [10]